Where will we be now without taking some time to look at the past? With over 40 years of history, it’s only right we take some much needed time to recollect the various milestones, events and of course the individuals behind it all. Trust us when we say it’s never a dull moment in the world of hip-hop as we get you the true gist from yesteryears.
Calling out all hip-hop heads, purists, and pundits. This is an issue we are all aware of. The under-representation of women in hip-hop from the get-go. We know it seems like an all-boys club but women from the time have helped lay the foundation of hip-hop directly or indirectly. The truth is there is a copious amount of “female” rappers who don’t get the same recognition as their male peers in the underground circuit. While we can go on and on about this topic, there is something I would like to point out, hip-hop has actually NEVER had a full-fledged successful all-female group (with 4 members and above). While you ponder on that, let’s look at some of the dopest all-female posse cuts throughout hip-hop history.
Total: “No One Else (Puff Daddy and Rodney Jerkins Remix)” ft. Foxy Brown, Lil’ Kim, and Da Brat [1995]
Let’s start with some classic RnB driven cut. Total played the background for the sisters to drive their point home and it’s nothing but pure butter all the way through. All 3 ladies were at their apex delivering hard-hitting rhymes with reckless abandon. Despite having a good rapport with Puff Daddy (on an individual level) this is the ONLY recording Foxy Brown and Lil Kim ever did together. To me, this is beyond sad, it’s heartbreaking thinking of what these 2 ladies could have accomplished together.
Brandy: “I Wanna Be Down” ft. Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Yo Yo [1994]
This was a solid one by all standards. This is pure 90s classic rap over a smooth RnB backdrop. While the aforementioned “No One Else remix” had the younger generation, Brandy’s “I Wanna Be Down remix” called upon the talents from the older rap guards bringing NY’s MC Lyte, New Jersey’s Queen Latifah and Yo Yo from the west coast. Displaying raw sexual confidence, the trio definitely shows us another way to get down without curse words or going overboard.
Various Artists: “Freedom (Rap Version)” ft. Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Yo Yo, Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes, MC Lyte, Nefertiti, Patra, and Me’Shell Ndegéocello [1995]
Taken from the film “Panther.”. This track blends the worlds of rap, dancehall, and R&B and the line up is nothing but dopeness from top to bottom. I am yet to hear anything like this since. There are several versions of this song but we selected the rap version for this list. With the slick production by the legendary DITC member Diamond D, the ladies lay down the lyrical hammer with their unique styles that run for over 6 minutes. You hardly hear this kind of rap by women on the radio in this day and age. Let’s treasure this moment.
Big Kap: “Da Ladies in Da House” ft. Bahamadia, Precise, Treep, Uneek & Lauryn Hill [1995]
This track is a single released by Big Kap on Tommy Boy records. Like the title says, it’s only the ladies catching wreck on the laid-back, barebones backdrop. No frills, no gimmicks, just pure lyricism from start to finish. Come to think of it, this is a truly magnificent lineup as we got Bahamadia and L Boogie on the same joint- There is truly a God in heaven.
Angie Martinez, Lil Kim, Left Eye, Da Brat, and Missy Elliot: “Ladies’ Night” [1997]
Regardless of what you think about Angie Martinez’s rap skills, this jam was something that hit the bullseye at the time of release. I can categorically say if Lil Kim and Foxy Brown were on good terms that Foxy would have appeared on it. It’s a no-brainer but hey this is only wishing thinking. The song featured as a bonus track on Lil’ Kim’s debut album Hardcore and the ‘Nothing To Lose’ soundtrack, this track reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and contains samples of Kool & The Gang’s ‘Ladies Night’ and ‘We Are Family’ by Sister Sledge. It also serves as an anthem of unity between the top female rappers at the time.
Da 5 Footaz – The Heist [1996]
Little known West Coast rap group Da 5 Footaz (Jah Skillz, NebLuv, Knehi, Cobra (a/k/a Red), Ka-Bar and I-AME) had this joint from the classic “Set It Off” movie soundtrack. They are mostly known for their affiliation with Warren G and unfortunately, they never did go on to make more music as a unit.
Fun Facts: Jah Skillz was the one rapping on Warren G’s Supa Soul Sis off his classic debut album “Regulate…G Funk Era”
Cobra (a/k/a Red) appeared alongside Planet Asia and others on Da Cypher Interlude off “Lyricist Lounge 2”
Deadly Venoms “Bomb Threat” [1998]
The only female hip-hop group associated with Wu-Tang Clan. They are virtually unknown to most except for hardcore hip-hop fans. They did record 2 albums but due to label mergers that happened in the early 00s, these records got shelved. Not much is known about them but they did release a 3rd album on Rocks the World Records a few years later that was not promoted very well. They embodied the hardcore East Coast aesthetics to the fullest with their super lyricism and hardcore beats.
Apani B Fly F/Helixx C. Armageddon, Ayana Soyini, Jean Grea: Estragen [1996]
There is a reason they called it Estragen. Apani B Fly teamed up with Ayana Soyini, Jean Grae (who went by the moniker What? What? at the time), Helixx C. Armageddon & Pri Da Honey Dark (both from the Anomolies), Yejide The Night Queen (Survival Sounds) and Heroine (of(Juggaknots)) for this lyrical avalanche. There is nothing soft here and shows how much times have changed.
Queens Latifah: “Brownsville” Featuring Le Fem Markita, Scarlet and Nikki D [1998]
Track 12 off Latifah’s 4th album “Order in the Court” and damn it goes hard in the paint. Built on the back of the classic Malcolm McLaren sample, the ladies here pull no punches as they go back to back with ferocious lines such as “….easily we fucks-with niggaz mentals/ lyrical credentials/Philosophic when we drop it/ catastrophic street topics, sonning niggaz like the tropics...”
It’s a bar slug-fest here so I need not say more.
Are we missing any more posse cuts? Do you have any suggestions relating to the list? Do leave your comments/suggestions below in the comment section.
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